


In Another Life

by orphan_account



Series: Hurt, Loss, and What Remains [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Boys Kissing, I'm Sorry, Kissing, M/M, Post-Canon, Regret
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-10
Updated: 2018-05-10
Packaged: 2019-05-05 01:07:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14605845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Naruto and Sasuke share some words they should've said sixteen years ago.





	In Another Life

**Author's Note:**

> Hey this is my first fic so I would very much enjoy hearing some feedback. Warning, the characters might be a bit OCC since I haven't written them before.  
> I hope you enjoy this regardless!

The sun was beginning to set over the land of fire, and Naruto was still seated at his desk. It was tough work being the Hokage, long hours, tons of paperwork, luckily though, Naruto's work was almost done for today. He only had one last thing to do before he was able to go home, he just had to give a scroll to… wait did that say Sasuke? The Shadow Hokage barely came near Konoha and he wouldn’t even come to Naruto's office, he needed the scroll to be delivered somewhere he wouldn’t be seen.

Just before Naruto was about to pack up and get going he heard a voice come from the doorway.

“You know at this rate your going to work yourself to death before you’re forty right?” drawled Shikamaru lazily from the corner.

“I’m fine dattebayo. Actually I was just about to leave.” replied Naruto as he gathered his things along with the scroll.

“Okay, but really, you should spend some time with your family for once.” scolded the brunet.

“I don’t need to hear a lecture about my family life right now, you are free to go home now and I’ll be out shortly.” Stated the blond as he proceeded to leave through the window.

As Naruto was making his way to the dedicated meeting spot, he looked over the place he has lived for all these years. Konoha has changed over the years, not only because it has more people, more buildings, and is more modern, no, it just feels different. It is no longer his home, it is just the place he lives. Naruto no longer feels the emotional connection to the city that he once did. 

As he is point out the changes Konoha has gone through over the years, Naruto started to notice the ones he has gone through. He is no longer the hyperactive knuckleheaded ninja that he once was, he’s more responsible, more mature, calmer now, he’s changed for the better, right. No, he’s lost all his drive, his fire, his passion now he’s just a shell of the person he used to be.

His mind takes him back to his conversation with Shikamaru earlier about how he never spends any time with his wife and kids. It’s not even like his work is what’s stopping him, he just doesn’t have the will to walk through that door. Don’t be mistaken, Naruto loves Boruto and Himawari with every bone in his body, he loves Hinata too, just not in the wife kind of way, he loves her like a friend or a sister. Naruto knows he is everything to Hinata, and it pains him to think that those feelings are unrequited.

Every second he spends at home he feels wrong, it always feels as if something is missing from his life, like something should have gone differently. When he looks at his house he doesn’t feel joy, instead he feels a sense of longing and regret. Something about his life should be able, he just doesn’t know what.

As he arrives at the place he is supposed to meet Sasuke he gets another view of the city he has lived in his entire life. There is no denying the beauty of Konoha when the sun is setting over the town. It truly is a breathtaking sight, distracting Naruto enough that he doesn’t notice the figure that has stood beside him.

“Nice view, am I right?” mumbles Sasuke calmly as he turns to Naruto.

“Oh, Sasuke, I didn’t see you there!” squeaked Naruto surprised.

“You should learn to pay more attention then usuratonkachi,” murmured the raven, “I guess some things never change.”

“Ya, you’re right about that, dattebayo. Here’s the scroll, I still don’t get why you couldn’t come into the village and get it yourself.” Naruto pulls the scroll out of his pocket and hands it to Sasuke.

“I don’t want to risk running into Sakura, Sarada, or anyone else I know.” 

“How come you don’t want to run into your wife or daughter?” asked the blond.

“I haven’t been home in years, do you know how awkward it would be?” Sasuke sighed, he hasn’t spoken to Sakura in forever and he doesn’t even know what Sarada looks like.

“When are you finally gonna return to Konoha? You know this mission isn’t that important and I think Sakura knows too, she’s not stupid.” Sasuke knows Sakura isn’t stupid, he just doesn’t want to return home, he can’t.

“You’re one to talk, when was the last time you spoke to your son?” replied Sasuke with a scowl. 

Naruto sighed, he knew he wasn’t a good father or husband, he just couldn’t bring himself to admit that he had failed his family, especially not to his rival.

“Hey Sas, we're still close friends, right?” he asked.

Sasuke frowned at the nickname, but responded none the less. “Yes, why do you ask?”

“That means we can still ask eachother anything right?” 

“What are you trying to get at usuratonkachi?”

“Do you ever feel l-like maybe your life turned out differently than it was supposed to?” the blond's voice was shaking and he was barely able to stutter out the question.

It took Sasuke a minute to respond. Of course he has regrets and of course he wishes he did something differently, but it was too late now. Looking back on his life he was a terrible husband and an even worse father. He’s scared to return home, he doesn’t know if he could even face Sakura after everything he’s done. 

He doesn’t even know why he married that woman, sure she was nice and pretty, but it never felt quite right. It was too late now though, it’s not like anything can change.

“Why do you think I spend my life traveling? Do you really think if I enjoyed my life I would constantly be away? No, if I was happy with where I was now I would be at home.” The raven was trying to stay calm and composed, but it was getting increasingly more difficult.

When Sasuke finally looked up he noticed Naruto was sitting on the ground, something in his mind told him to sit down next to the blond.

“It’s just, I tried so hard, I finally have everything I’ve ever wanted, a beautiful wife, my dream job, a family, but I’m still not happy. So many people have died to get me to this place and now I wished they hadn’t been that keen on helping me.” Naruto’s mind is brought back to his father, his mother, Jiraiya, Neji, he wished they hadn’t gave their lives for him.

Sasuke looks over at Naruto, he looks almost on the verge of tears. “Hey, calm down.” he whispered.

“I just wish I could go back to when I was sixteen and say all the things I regret not saying, do all the things I regret not doing.” Naruto was nearly in tears.

Sasuke knew he couldn’t just leave his friend like this so he finally gave in and asked “Fine then, if you could re-do one thing in your life what would it be?”

Naruto paused before speaking, he quietly whispered “I’d tell you that I loved you.”

Sasuke paused, he didn’t know how to respond. Had Naruto really just said what he thought he did? The worst part was that he felt the same, he loved Naruto as well, he always had, it was the reason he could never be close with Sakura. And even though these are the words he has always wanted to hear for the past sixteen years, he didn’t know what to say.

“I shouldn't've said that, I-I uh…” Naruto was panicking.

“Calm down usuratonkachi.” Murmured Sasuke.

Then Sasuke made the boldest move of his life, bolder than when he left Konoha, bolder than when he killed Itachi, he kissed Naruto. This kiss wasn’t like the one when they were twelve, it wasn’t accidental, it wasn’t rushed, and neither one of them pulled away. They savoured the kiss like they had been waiting their whole lives for it (which they kind of had). When Naruto finally broke the kiss they sat there looking into each other’s eyes.

It took a moment for Naruto to break the silence, all he said was “Wow.” His voice was breathy and his eyes were glassy.

“I’m sorry… I shouldn't’ve done that…” Sasuke looks at the ground.

“Why, do you regret it?” asks Naruto wearily.

“No, not at all, it’s just you and I, we'd never work, we both have wives and kids, you’re Hokage, you can’t be seen kissing another man, I'm sorry.” 

Naruto sighs, he can’t imagine a life with Sasuke, but then again he can’t imagine a life without him either.

“You’re probably right… but maybe in another life things would different.” That was the only shred of hope Naruto was holding onto.

“One can dream… well you should probably get going, Hinata is going to be expecting you for dinner soon, right?” asked the raven.

“Ya, I’ll leave, you?” Naruto looked to the ground.

“Nah, I'll stay here for a bit and enjoy Konoha while I can,” Sasuke then noticed the disappointed expression on the blond’s face, “Hey, in another life, right?” he asked.

Naruto looked up and nodded, “In another life.”

Sasuke waved him off and while Naruto looked back at him he did something he hadn’t done in a while, he smiled.

As he looked over the city surrounded by darkness he started thinking. In another life he and Sasuke would probably share hundreds of other moonlight kisses, in another life he wouldn’t use his work as an escape from his home, in another life he wouldn’t be stuck in a passionless marriage. But this wasn’t another life, this was this life, and in this life Hinata is expecting him home for dinner soon.

Maybe in this life he and Sasuke can’t be husband’s, but that doesn’t stop them from being friends

**Author's Note:**

> I might be planning on making a sequel to this or maybe making into a multi chapter fic where Naruto and Sasuke actually do get together, idk, just stay tuned.


End file.
